We need to find 3-4 senior players from the younger, fringe players and recruit another 3-4.
I think our KP forward prospects are fine for now.
DGB, Sicily and Frost should be a good set-up for next year in defence, but should be looked at if there are opportunities to improve.
Midfield, x-factor, speed and small/medium forwards are a huge deficit.
We need to recruit for leadership, toughness and character again.
We have no intimidation-factor whatsoever.
We have no intimidation-factor whatsoever.
That what stands out the most. When you play soft, you look soft. By playing soft, I don’t mean avoiding the hard ball but the dinky little handballs, the loopy handball and hopes, the keepings-off switches, always looking backward for the next give-off. It’s so similar to Collingwoods‘ game style and the results are showing. It’s predictable, easy to coach against, produces low scores and will damage our kids’ development. Sideways is soft. Slow is soft.
Why do we get excited about Jiath, Day, Wingard, Frost in full flight? Because they intimidate, they attack, they look for a target 30m forward rather than 2m backwards. It brings the forwards into play a lot sooner. You don’t always need pace, you need a mindset. Sure you need kicking skills but an errant kick is far less damaging when the opposition hasn’t had time to set up the wall. The 3-peat years was a fast and forward Hawthorn. Not speed fast, ball movement fast which equalled open space for Buddy, Rough and Cyril. Opposition teams scored from turnovers often but it didn’t matter, Hawthorn were miles in front.